"The Senate of the Republic expresses its deepest concern due to the
appearance in the diverse mass media of information regarding the launching of a
fumigation campaign in illicit crop zones, not on the basis of the purpose in
itself of the goal sought by this campaign, but, on the contrary, on its
implications for ecological and social peace, and in general for agro industrial
development, which the use of these chemical elements or agro toxins entails.

In accordance with article 79 of the Constitution, which stipulates the right
of all citizens to a healthy environment, and the state’s obligation to
protect its diversity or integrity, we put forward the suggestion to the
Ministers of Defense, Justice, Agriculture and Health, to suspend, if there is
one, immediately, any campaign which tends to use chemical elements to eradicate
illicit crops on Colombian territory, until that time at which the country be
presented with the corresponding studies on the economic, environmental and
social impact,which these type of assignments represent for the nation.

We resort, in this request, to Decree 2811 of 1974, Natural Resources and
Environmental Code (Código de los Recursos Naturales y del Ambiente),
which requires the presentation, for any project affecting the environment, of
studies, which, in effect, we Honorable Senators are requesting of the Minister
of the Defense; we are also adding to this petition what is provided by law 9 of
1979, National Sanitary Code (Código Sanitario Nacional.)

The senators undersigning this proposition are aware of the importance of
eradicating poppy, marihuana and coca illicit crops, but additionally we
consider that at the same time the Colombian state should preserve ecological,
environmental and social peace, and in consequence develop eradication
alternatives which do not go against national harmony. ”